Three-time Olympic medalists Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks) and LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers) headline the list of 30 finalists today named for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team by USA Basketball. The player selections were approved by the USA Basketball Board of Directors. The official 12-member 2016 U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team roster will be announced later this year.

“It seems like I say this each time we have to narrow down a roster, but I am struck by the remarkable commitment the players in the USA Basketball National Team program continue to display and the enthusiasm they have for representing their country,” said USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo, who has served as the managing director of the USA Men’s National Team since 2005.

“The depth of talent that exists in the national team program is extraordinary. Repeating as gold medalists at the 2016 Olympics will not be easy, but we feel confident that we have 30 finalists who offer amazing basketball abilities and special versatility. We’re also fortunate that the roster is comprised of so many veterans of international basketball. In addition to 18 players who have won Olympic and/or World Cup gold medals, there are 16 finalists who have played between 20 and 72 games for USA Basketball. That experience is extremely valuable and something we’ve not always had available to draw upon.

“Obviously selecting the official roster of 12 players for the Olympics in 2016 will be a very, very difficult process. As has been the case with past USA Basketball teams, the goal once again is to select the very best team possible to represent the United States.”

Krzyzewski, who has coached USA National teams to a sterling 52-1 record in official FIBA or FIBA Americas competitions since 2006, while also compiling a 23-0 mark in exhibition games and leading teams to gold medal finishes at the 2014 FIBA World Cup, 2012 London Olympics, 2010 FIBA World Championship, 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2007 FIBA Americas Championship, echoed Colangelo’s comments on the difficulty in selecting a roster.

“This selection process was difficult from the start, and obviously it is only going to get more difficult as we look to get to the official, 12-man roster,” Krzyzewski said. “I’m excited about the possibilities this team has. Among the finalists we have multiple players who won gold medals at the Olympic or World Cup level. The roster of finalists features incredible talent, great balance, outstanding leadership, and I believe like we had with our previous teams, this team will have a special chemistry.

“Having a deep, very talented, and extremely versatile roster is of critical importance in our pursuit of the Olympic gold medal in Rio. All of the players who have been part of the national team program should be recognized and commended for their commitment and contributions, acknowledged for their willingness to do whatever asked and for representing the United States in such outstanding fashion,” added Krzyzewski.

Anthony (2004 bronze and 2008 and 2012 gold) and James (2004 bronze and 2008 and 2012 gold) are three-time Olympic medalists who are attempting to make a historical fourth U.S. Olympic men’s team, while Paul (2008 and 2012) is a two-time Olympic gold medalist seeking to become one of four (Anthony, James and David Robinson) three-time U.S. Olympic players.

Nine players from the gold medal winning 2012 U.S. Olympic team that went 8-0 in London remain in contention for the 2016 U.S. Olympic squad, including Anthony, Davis, Durant, Harden, Iguodala, James, Love, Paul and Westbrook. Anthony, Howard, James and Paul also were members of the 2008 U.S. Olympic team that compiled an unblemished record of 8-0 and captured gold in Beijing. Additionally, Anthony and James earned bronze medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Ten members of the 2014 USA World Cup Team that finished 9-0 and captured gold in Spain are among the list of finalists, including Cousins, Curry, Davis, DeRozan, Drummond, Faried, Gay, Harden, World Cup MVP Irving and Thompson. Six finalists were members of the 2010 USA World Championship squad that went 9-0 and captured gold in Istanbul, Turkey: Curry, World Championship MVP Durant, Gay, Iguodala, Love and Westbrook all were members of the golden 2010 USA team; while Anthony, Howard, James and Paul earned a bronze medal at the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan.

The finalists represent 17 different NBA teams, with the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors leading the way with five players (Barnes, Curry, Green, Iguodala and Thompson); while the Cleveland Cavaliers (Irving, James and Love) and Los Angeles Clippers (Griffin, Jordan and Paul) each feature three players; the Houston Rockets (Harden and Howard), Oklahoma City Thunder (Durant and Westbrook), Sacramento Kings (Cousins and Gay), San Antonio Spurs (Aldridge and Leonard) and Washington Wizards (Beal and Wall) each have two players among the 30 finalists; and the Chicago Bulls (Butler), Denver Nuggets (Faried), Detroit Pistons (Drummond), Indiana Pacers (George), Memphis Grizzlies (Conley), New Orleans Hornets (Davis), New York Knicks (Anthony), Toronto Raptors (DeRozan) and Utah Jazz (Hayward) each are represented by one player.

The USA National Team’s complete training schedule for 2016 will be announced at a later date.

2016 Rio Olympic Games

The 2016 Summer Olympic Games will be held Aug. 5-21 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Twelve nations will compete in the 2016 Olympic men’s basketball competition. Nations qualified for the Olympic competition include the host country, Brazil; the United States, which earned its berth by virtue of claiming the gold medal at the 2014 FIBA World Cup; Africa zone champ Nigeria; Venezuela (gold medalist) and Argentina (silver medalist) from FIBA Americas; FIBA Asia gold medalist China; Spain (gold medalist) and Lithuania (silver medalist) from FIBA Europe; and FIBA Oceania gold medalist Australia.

The remaining three Olympic qualifying spots will be determined in 2016 through three FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments. A total of 18 nations, six teams in each tournament, will compete July 4-10, 2016, for the right to advance to Rio. Nations expected to compete for the final Olympic berths are Angola, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Iran, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Tunisia, Senegal, Serbia, and the three nations that win the bid to host one of these Olympic qualifiers. The winner from each of the three FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments will punch its ticket to the 2016 Olympic men’s basketball tournament.

Men’s basketball preliminary play at the ’16 Olympics will be Aug. 6-15, with the quarterfinals scheduled for Aug. 17, semifinals on Aug. 19 and the gold and bronze medal games on Aug. 21.

The U.S. men have collected a medal in all 17 Olympics in which they have competed, including 14 gold medals, one silver and two bronze medals. The Americans own an impressive 130-5 all-time, win-loss record (.963 winning percentage) in Olympic action, and since NBA players began representing the United States in 1992, the USA is 45-3 in six Olympics, capturing five gold medals and one bronze medal.

USA Basketball

Based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA Basketball, chaired by Colangelo, is a nonprofit organization and the national governing body for men’s and women’s basketball in the United States. As the recognized governing body for basketball in the U.S. by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), USA Basketball is responsible for the selection, training and fielding of USA teams that compete in FIBA-sponsored international competitions, as well as for some national competitions, and for the development of youth basketball initiatives that address player development, coach education and safety.

USA Basketball men’s and women’s teams between 2012-15 compiled a spectacular 151-6 win-loss record in FIBA and FIBA Americas competitions, the World University Games and the Nike Hoop Summit, and posted a 92-15 win-loss record in official FIBA and FIBA Americas 3x3 competitions.

USA teams are the current men’s and women’s champions in the Olympics; men’s FIBA World Cup and women’s FIBA World Championship; men’s and women’s FIBA U19 and U17 World Championships; men’s and women’s FIBA Americas U18 championships; men’s FIBA Americas U16 Championship; the FIBA 3x3 Women’s World Championship; and the women’s Youth Olympic Games. USA Basketball currently ranks No. 1 in all five of FIBA’s world-ranking categories, including combined, men’s, women’s, boys and girls.